D
riving toward Willow’s neighborhood, Tripp cursed mentally when her voicemail picked up before the call even started ringing.He decided to leave a message, hoping she would listen to it once she calmed down.
“Willow, I know you’re upset with me.You have every right to be, but please just let me know you’re safe.I’ll tell you everything, I swear.Just answer me, please.”
He ended the call, feeling sick to his stomach at the way she’d found out.That she’d taken off before he could explain and no one knew where she was, especially when there was still a potential threat hanging over her head.
“Goddamn it, Earl.”If he’d just kept his fucking mouth shut and his fucking nose out of Tripp and Willow’s business, none of this would have happened.He’d been about to tell her on his own and would at least have had control over that part of it.
She still would have been shocked.Hurt.Devastated.But she would finally have known the truth, and there wouldn’t have been a public confrontation.And at least she would have heard it fromhim.
He shook his head at himself.This was his own fucking fault.No one else’s.He was the one who’d gotten shitfaced at the bar that night when he’d first returned to the island and spilled his guilty guts to Earl before going into treatment.
He’d been so drunk he still only remembered bits of it.But he would never forget Earl’s reaction when he’d finished.The cold fury in the other man’s eyes before he’d gotten up, walked out, and left Tripp sitting there alone in his misery.Earl had been trying to protect her tonight.
Willow’s car was gone when he got to her house.There were no lights on inside, and he didn’t hear any barking.She must have taken the dog with her.
Heart sinking, he called his dad.“Is Willow there?”
“No, haven’t seen her since I left her place.”
He dragged a hand through his hair, trying to think of other places she might have gone.Would she have wanted to get away from him so badly she might have tried to get the last ferry off the island?“Just let me know if she shows up, okay?”
“Something wrong?”
“Yeah.Earl told her I’m responsible for her brother’s death, and she took off before I could explain everything.”He was desperate to find her.Or at least to hear her voice, to know she was physically okay and that there might still be a chance for them to work through this mess.
He would beg her for the chance to be heard if that’s what it took.
“Ah, shit,” his dad said quietly.
Yeah, that pretty much summed it up.“I’m at her place but she’s not here.And she’s not answering her phone.At least not for me.”
“I’ll call her, see if she answers.”
“She won’t.”Right now she wouldn’t want to talk to anyone associated with him.And he didn’t blame her.“I’m gonna talk to Mae, see if she has any ideas.”
“Good idea.I’ll try Willow anyway, and let you know if I hear anything.But you need to find her, Tripp, she might be in danger if anyone’s?—”
“I know.”It was killing him.He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to her because he hadn’t had the guts to come clean when he should have.“I will.”He had to make sure she was okay.Then fix this, by any means necessary.
He ended the call and drove the short distance to Mae’s house.She came out the front door when he reached her front garden gate.
“I haven’t heard anything from her since she hung up on me,” Mae said without mincing words.“I don’t know where she is.”
“Think she might have taken the ferry?”
“It’s possible.”
“I’m gonna go look for her anyway.”
“Where?It’ll be getting dark soon.”
“I know.Call me if you see or hear from her.”
“Of course.Please let me know she’s okay when you find her.”
“I will.”But Willow wasn’t okay.How could she be after tonight?
